Folding chair



(No Model.)

T. A. MATTHEWS.

FOLDING CHAIR.

Patented Aug. 17,1897.

\\ U u l 1/ 4 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. MATTHEWS, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

FOLDING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,159, dated August 17, 1897. Application filed December 21, 1896. Serial No. 616,436. (No model.) I

To all whom, it 'lnay concern:

Be it known that LTHoMAs A. MATTHEWS, a citizen of the United States of America,residing at Nashville, Davidson county, Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs, of which the following specification contains a full, clear, and exact description,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved chair unfolded. Fig. l shows the chair folded. Fig. 2 is a view of the framework alone, the flexible back and seat being removed. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views showing the manner of hinging the back to the seatframe. Fig. 5 shows a different manner of hinging the back to the seat-frame.

My invention relates to that class of folding chairs which have the body-frame formed of crossed members pivoted together at the point of crossing so as to fold together, the seat being formed of some flexible material. These seats have heretofore been made single and it is the object of the present invention to provide a double chair or stool capable of folding like a single chair or stool, and also to provide a double back capable of folding down upon the top of the said body portion.

The invention consists in a chair or stool formed of three crossed members pivoted together at their point of crossing, the shorter middle member being vertical, with its lower ends extending to the floor-line, and adapted to support at its top the middle of a flexible seat, and the other two members being in clined and adapted at their upper ends to support the ends of said flexible seat.

The invention further consists in providing the rear upper corners of all three body members with a hinged rod or arm adapted to support the ends and middle of a flexible back and fold down upon or alongside of the top bars of the three members.

AA represent the two longer inclined members of the frame-body formed with parallel side bars a a a co and top bars a a, the lower portion of these bars a a and a a being connected by cross-rods 0. 0. just above where they rest on the floor.

B is the vertical shorter middle member,

with its ends secured in any suitable manner to the top bars a a and its middle crossing the top bar I) and secured thereto or not, as may be desired. It will be seen, therefore, that a separate seatwill be formed at each side of the bar I), so that two persons may occupy the chair with comfort.

In order to provide a back, I hinge bars A A A to the upper rear corners of the frame members A A B, so as to fold down upon or alongside of the respective top bars a a b, and to these back bars I secure in any suitable manner the flexible back E, formed also of canvas or other material adapted for the purpose. A double back will thus be provided, but the back may be omitted and the double stool used without it.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the lower end of the back bar A? is bent laterally to form a pivot aiwhich passes through a transverse aperture a in the frame member B, for instance, and the extremity of the bar is curved rearwardly and behind the rear side bar I) to form a stop (0 which will hold the bar A against rearward movement, but will allow it to fold down.

The hinge-joint of Fig. 5 comprises a knuckle F, ext-ending upwardly and provided at its lower end with a laterally-extending bolt f, which passes through an aperture a in' the frame member a and is secured thereto by a nut f. The connection of the back bar A to the knuckle F is after the manner of a rulejoint, so as to-hold the bar A in the vertical position, but allow it to fold forwardly and downwardly. v

I prcfe r the means of hingingshown in Figs; 3 and 4, as it is somewhat cheaper, though that in Fig. 5 permits of removing the entire back upon first removing the nuts f.

My improved seat or chair is very simple, and by it a double seat or chair may be had for but little greater expense than asingle one. The frame may be either of metal or wood, as may be found desirable. Moreover, the middle sect-ion B will be found useful in single seats or chairs for heavy persons.

That I claim is- 1. In a folding seat or chair, a body-frame comprising three crossed members the side bars of which are pivoted together at their point of crossing with their top bars extending horizontally to support a flexible seat; the shorter middle member being vertical with its lower ends extending to the floor-line and the two longer members being inclined, substantially as set forth.

2. In a folding seat or chair, a body-frame comprising three crossed members, the side bars of which are pivoted together at their point of crossing with their top bars extending horizontally to support a flexible seat; the shorter middle member being Vertical and the two longer members being inclined, and folding back bars, pivotally connected with the upper rear corners of said three members, substantially as set forth.

3. .A folding seat or chair, comprising the three'erossed members, the side bars of which are pivoted together at their point of crossing with the shorter middle member extending vertically with its lower ends extending to the floor-line and the two longer members extending at an incline, and the flexible seat secured at its ends to the horizontal top bars of the longer members and supported at its middle by the top bar of the middle members, substantially as set forth.

4. A folding seat or chair comprising the three crossed members having their side bars pivoted together at the point of crossing, with the shorter middle member extending vertically and the two longer members extending at an incline, the back bars hinged to the upper rear corners of said three members to fold down thereon or alongside thereof, a flexible incline, and the top bars of the three sections being adapted to support a flexible seat, and the three back-supporting bars bent at right angles at their lower. ends to form pivots a passing through apertures in the upper rear corners of said members and then bent around the rear sides of said side bars as at a to form stops to hold the said bars in their upright positions but allow them to fold forwardly and downwardly, substantially as set forth.

THOMAS A. MATTHEWS.

Witnesses:

S. J. MCGUIRE, JAS. E. SAUNDERS. 

